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VIDEO OF IRVINE

Ken Irvine Tribute(links to www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au)

ken irvine TRY (links to www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au)

VIDEO LINK
Irvine Try 2nd test 1963 - great lead up by Raper(links to www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au)

5/08/2006
The Sea Eagles greatest ever team was announced this evening at a gala function at the Manly Leagues Club. The black tie event was attended by over 400 people including Sea Eagles greats from the past and present. The greatest ever Manly side was selected by an astute panel of judges and announced to enormous applause by the Sea Eagles greatest son Ken Arthurson.

Stats available from 1976 on -

1/9/2006

On the night of 26th of August 2006 the North Sydney Rugby League Football Club announced their TEAM OF THE CENTURY :

1. Brian Carlson (1957-62)
2. Ken Irvine (1958-70)
3. Jimmy Devereux (1908, 1910, 1912-13)
4. Greg Florimo (1986-98)
5. Harold Horder (1920-23)
6. Tim Pickup (1972-74)
7. Duncan Thompson (1916, 1920-23)
8. Gary Larson (1987-99)
9. Ross Warner (1963-74)
10. Billy Wilson (1963-67)
11. David Fairleigh (1989-99)
12. Mark Graham (1981-88)
13. Peter Diversi (1952-55)
Bench:
14. Sid Deane (1908, 1912-14, 1917, 1919)
15. Ken McCaffery (1957-59)
16. Billy Moore (1989-99)
17. John Gray (1975-77, 1981-83)
Coach:
Chris McKivat (1920-23)

Ken Irvine's Brilliance

The completion of the Harbour Bridge signalled a decline in the working class population, and Rugby Union grew with the influx of 'toffs' in the area.

Norths suffered as a result, but their junior ranks recieved a major boost in 1958 when Mosman sprinter Ken Irvine ditched plans to trial for the 1960 Olympics, and turned Rugby League.

Irvine was a sensation for the Bears (as they were now known), and put in 12 years of loyal service for the bears, before spending his twilight seasons with Manly.

In 16 seasons, Irvine amassed a current premiership record of 212 tries from 236 games.

This is almost an amazing 1 try per match!

He bettered this playing for NSW, scoring 28 tries from just 23 games, but his crowning achievement must surely be the 33 tries he scored in 31 tests, better than 1 try in every test!

Ken Irvine joined Norths during a period which threatened to see them challenge for the premiership.

They won both lower grade grand finals in 1959, and Irvine was the leading tryscorer in the premiership with 19 tries.

Sadly, premiership success was to avoid him.

In 1969, as captain, he led the side in a walk off the field during a game against Canterbury!

Irvine's career repersents a highlight not only to Norths, but to the sport as a whole.

The great man, sadly, died of leukemia in 1991, aged 50.

- why not share your memories with other members of Team Era, just click here -

The Poms had already wrapped up the 1962 ashes series after outplaying Australia in the first two test matches.

They had won the 1st test 31 -12, the 2nd 17 -10.
The Australian faced the embarassment of being the first Australian team to lose all three test against Great Britain.

This test is part of Australian Rugby League folklore for two memorable incidents.

The aussie captain Arthur Summons was an inspirational leader in this dead rubber, and was able to bring his side back from a 17 - 11 deficit to 17 points to 16 with only seconds remaining.

Brilliant Australian wing sensation Ken Irvine had scored in the Randwick corner of the Cricket Ground (the old members stand side).

The story goes that Arthur Summons then threw the ball to Irvine to take the kick from the sideline. Irvine who at the time played for North Sydney and was there second string kicker.

Irvine later admitted that he had set the ball on the mound and had walked back to his spot to commence his run up to take the kick when the referee Darcy Lawler advised him that it was not aligned correctly and he should readjust the line. Irvine then went back to the ball, readjusted theline and then pilotted the ball over the black dot. Australia had won the third test by one point.

SEE MEMORABLE MATCHES No 1 for full story of the test match.

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THE SWINTON MASSACRE (1963)
2nd TEST AUSTRALIA -V- GREAT BRITAIN

I was certainly at this match as a young 16 year old Swinton supporter at that time . My main memory is of a very fit , fast and strong Aussie side whose forwards were quicker than our backs!!

I am sure that it was rumored that the winger , Ken Irvine ,had won a race with a horse over 100 yards .

If I remember rightly , GB's only try was scored by winger John Stopford after a break by centre Neil Fox , rapidly overtaken and tackled by Irvine who made him look as though he was standing still but the rest belongs to the Aussie team who were so magnificent that the only way that the GB team could compete in the next test was to pick a team of sluggers who could slow the Aussies down in a match in which several players were dismissed by referee , "Sergeant Major" Eric Clay but that's a separate story .

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Saw Ken Irvine play against souths at redfern in 68?

Still 2 this day remember him scoring a lenght of the field try. He just
weaved up the side line, probably moved no more than 4-6 feet away from
line all the way.

What a sidestep.

The crowd roared and this was a souths home game.

Can not remember anything else about that game but that try was just awesome.

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Ken Irvine - the best for mine.

I was at all the representative games played at the SCG in the GB 1966 tour.

For NSW Irvine scored three tries - each one as good as the other, and better than most I've seen.

Blistering speed, a deceptive sidestep that cost him no loss of pace and a swerve that was poetry in motion.

He scored three tries for Australia in the third test also, one from a brilliant offload from the young Arthur Beetson - what a great player, yet it seems largely forgotten by our RL community today.

(not by Quigs Steve....)

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I was on the hill that day,I was 15,but still remember the goal kick by Ken Irvine.Living on the North Shore I watched the Bears a lot,and don't remember him kicking a goal before or after.

Since then have heard the story about him and Lawler a few times.

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The 1st test series I remember was as a small boy reading about the 1962 series.

1963 was the first series I saw on TV.

The 1st test was played at Wembley, but only highlights were shown on TV, although I think Reg Gasnier scored 3 tries.

The match at Swinton was the first test I saw live.

It left an indelible imprint on me, which remains to this day.

Australia have never played better in my opinion. Langlands, Irvine, Gasnier, Raper would walk into any greatest team that I could think of.

The abiding memories are of Ken Irvine's chase down of Neil Fox, with John Stopford scoring a try.

But watching Australia that day was like watching the Harlem Globetrotters.

Raper never played better. Chang wasn't far behind. Still the best team I've ever seen.

As memorable was the 3rd test (Battle of Headingley) when the fists flew. Noel Kelly was indeed a very hard man. A scrum broke up and he delivered a couple of beauties on one of the English props.

Cliff Watson got sent off in the same game.

I have highlights of the 63 Tour on DVD and it's a prized possession.

- why not share your memories with other members of Team Era, just click here -

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- why not share your memories with other members of Team Era, just click here -

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- why not share your memories with other members of Team Era, just click here -